Types OF Love

The theme of love presents a difference between novels: unrequited and spiritual

Throughout  Beloved, there are multiple kinds of love invested within the novel. Love for oneself, mother love, lustful "love" and unrequited love are among a few types. Unrequited love between Sethe and Beloved is especially evident once Beloved moves in to 124. Beloved demonstrates fascination and one-sided attachment to Sethe, "...Beloved could not take her eyes off Sethe.... Sethe was licked, tasted, eaten by Beloved's eyes," (Morrison 68) and seems unable to function without her.

The unrequited love differs greatly compared to the type of spiritual love in the Inferno. Dante's love in hell is from Beatrice, who represents the spiritual love. She is a symbol of the guidance of God, and extends help toward Dante once he enters hell by sending a guide, Virgil to accompany him. Instead of love between two people, such as in Beloved, the type of love in Dante is rather through an omnipotent force of God.u